Improvement in brick-machines



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A11@ St N4 PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGRAPH ER, WASHINGTON, D C

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.l Leners Patent No. 102,115, dated Apriti 1o, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICKjMACHINES.

`'.l'lzte Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making part of the sama I, GEORGE. WV. HARLAX, of Cincinnati, 'in the' county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Brick and in kBrick-Mawhines, of which the following l Vis a specification.

Nature nul` Object of Invention.

' My invention consists in the process of tempering, mixing,4and molding, brick, tile, Ste., whereby I am enabled to moisten and temper thel clay to the proper .consistency for m'olding by using a suicient amount of hot steam to raise the clay or pulpl to a high degree of uniform heat,and at the same time to moisten theclay sufficiently to be easily mixed by proper machinery, and, without material loss of heat and of moisture, to pass the mixed 'pulp immediately into molds; the retained heat-,being thoroughly infused throughout every particle of the molded brick, secures a uniformity of temperature and enables the brick to be cured rapidly by additional'A heat or by slow cooling, free from inherent strains,leaving the brick perfect in shape, without cracks or checks.

The second part of my invention consists' in combining a steam-tight mixing and a molding-box, the molding-box being directlypattached to the mixingbox, so thatthe pulp and steam can quickly and easily pass from the one to the other, and, by means of rotating blades, be passed directly into molds,' which are caused to pass close'to the molding-box upon an endless apron, and so close as to receive the proper Ashape while in a highly-heated state without loss of heat and moisture necessary in making brick which will dry rapidly with little moisture, leaving the brick perfect in shape.

Description of the Accompanying Drawings.

Figure l is a perspective view of the entire niachine.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of fig. l.

Figure 3 is a top view of the bottom plate ot' the Tlie boxA haslonc or more horizontal shafts, u,

each provided with a continual seriesof spiral-shaped blades or wings, similar iuconstructiou to an ordinary conveying-shaft. rlhese shafts are Isupported upon proper bearings at either end of the box.

When three shafts are' used, the middle shaft projectsthrough the bearing at the hopper end of the -lxoxsutciently for a spur or gear-wheel, g, to be attached, (see iig. 2,) for a driving-gear to fit and mesh into, to propel or operate the entire machine.

At ,the opposite end of the box A this shaft a projects throughv sutliciently to attachv a bevel gear-whe'cl, d', which meshes into a corresponding one, d', upon `the upright shaft f. b

The molding-box E is attached to the mixing-bon` A, 'which is also made steam-tight.

vUpon theunder side a passage, P, is made furthe pulp or prepared clay to pass from the vmixing to the molding-box.

Vertical shafts i i and f work in suitable bearings, one upon the upright frame near the top of the miking-box, andthe other upon a cross-piece on thcsalue frame above the moldingbox. 'lhe` nature 4of the molding-box AE is such that the bearings should be outside and above it. These vertical shafts t'fi and f project into the molding-box and terminate :near the bottom, (see tig. 2.) p Y Upon the lower end are placed spiral blades or wings e c. I

The gear-wheels d d l secure a uniform motion of the shafts and blades. L

These blades e c revolve close to the bottom plate n of themolding-box E, and force the clay through apertures of the plate nfsce fig. 3, and cut or strike the clay as the mold `in'unediately beneath it is illed.y

D D' are revolving drums, which are revolved by shaft a? and its gearing.

Around these drums is secured an endless apron,`

which carries theA molds close under the bottom of the molding-box E or plate n.. This plate n should be a thin metallic plate, with apertures of the size and shape of the molds, (see fig. 3,) and placed Hush upon the bottom of the box'E.

The clay is forced through the apertures in plate u till the moldimmediately beneath is filled. rlhe blades c strike or cut the clay above the top of the molds the thickness of plate n'.

Ilate t is placed upon the outer bottom side ot' plate n, and should be made of thin metal, slightly beveled. As the molds l are carried forward under this plate it completes the striking and levels the brick even with the top of the molds.

The drums D D are Octagon in shape, each side being of the width of the molds l. The apron should be made of jointed slats of the same width, each slat carrying one mold at each one-eighth revolution of drum l). A A,

The speed'of the various shafts and mill may be varied at will. I use, for the shafts a,'i, and 'i' ten revolutions per minute, and the drums D one-half of a revolution per minute.

An exhaustfpipe maybe used for'the escape of superfluous steam which has not been'mixed and taken up in the clay, and should be ixedeither in the molding-box or at the same end of the mixing-box.

My method of tempering, mixing, and molding brick, Sac., is as follows: v

Suitable power, usually steam, is applied to operate the machine. Clay is introduced into the hppper B by positive regular feed, suitably adapted to prevent the escape of the steam and bring it into contact with the clay upon the under side in the hopper B, which is softened and falls into the mixing-box.

Steam, either exhaust, direct, or superheated, is admitted into the mixing-'box through pipe H, and should be at least of as high temperature as exhaust steam, as it softens and tempers the clay when of a high heat more rapidly, and, with much less moist-ure, renders the clay sufficiently plastic for grinding or mixing'.

The speed of the shafts u and blades should be regulated to allow the clay to be passed rapidly for# ward to the molding-box, and, by the time it arrives at the molding-boxE, will be ready for molding. rlhe mixing-box A should be steam-tight, and the high degree of heat from the steam permeating every particle of clay or pulp, heats the clay and enables it to be molded without pressure, the steam alone furnishing suieient moisture 'without the addition of water. 1

Exhaust steam of fifteen pounds pressure is sufficient to expel the air and temper the clay, raising it to a uniform degree of heat, and sniciently moist to be easily and rapidly carried by the blade e e of the molding-box directly into the mold underneath the aperture of plate n n. I

The blades c e pass so close to the plate n of the molding-box as to strike the clay when the molds are n'lled the thickness of the' plate v'n only from the top of the molds.

Plate t of the molding-box E, as the molds are passed forward, presses slightly and smooths the clay even with the top of the molds, and completes the striking or molding of the brick.

The exhaust-pipe should escape the steam not taken up by the clay before molding.

lhe molds l should pass Vso close to plate -n n. as to prevent the access of air to the clay or escape of the steam and moist-nre in the prepared pulp.

A table may be placed on a level with the forward drum D, to receive the molds, as the revolution of the drums carry the molds forward on the apron.

Bricks thus molded are more thoroughly and uniformi y tempered, and, being molded in a highly-heated state, are,treated much morerapidly and with less moisture than iu any other 'processv known. The inherentheat of the molded brick assists in expelling the moisture. They also dry more uniformly and much quickerthan when made by hand or by other machines.

-The temperature of the brick being uniform, unequal contraction is avoided in the drying, and the `bricks are free from cracks or warps due to inherent strain. lo effect this more completely I prepare. an oven which may be heated by the escape steam passed by suitable pipes through the same or by the heat from the boiler-furnace. This oven should be of uniform temperature, and the brick, as soon as molded, deposited on a suitable truck, passed from the molds directly into the oven, where, in av few hours, they will be suiciently dried to be pnt into the kiln for burning, saving the time of drying in the yard, and the expense of turning and handling, Ste., incidental.

By the above steam-heated process, brick, 85o., can be made at all seasons of the year, irrespective of weather.

The small amount of space occupied by the machine and oven enables the manufacture to be carried ou in any ordinary building or sheds which can be connected to the kiln. y

By this process, brick, tile, Ste., can be molded and dried much faster, and with a saving of atleast one-v Witnesses E. E. Woon, \\'ILLL\M BLAKNEY. 

